League offers free admission to draw fans

ORANGE SPORTS

The Florida Collegiate Summer League is back with more teams for its 2nd season.

May 29, 2005|By Brett Zarda, Special to the Sentinel

FREE.

It's a term uttered only in reference to Bobbleheads and team posters (after the purchase of a $50 ticket) in today's sports landscape. But as the Florida Collegiate Summer League (FCSL) enters its second year of wood bat competition, organizers have eliminated debate over the cheapest ticket in town.

"This summer our main objective is to get the word out as best we can to the different communities," said FCSL General Manager Rob Sitz. "By making this free admission we're trying to give back to the communities and show them that this is exciting baseball with highly talented players."

The nonprofit FCSL was designed to provide collegiate players an opportunity to showcase and develop their talent without leaving home. The league has expanded from four to six teams. With each playing 30 games, plus an all-star game and playoffs, there's plenty of baseball to be played.

"We've been sending our best players away," said Chad Sommers, head coach of the Zephyrhills Snappers. "The state of Florida is one of the best areas in the country for baseball, and these kids want to stay home."

"It's just good that I get to stay near home and play competitive baseball," said David Nathanson, a junior pitcher at Rollins College who'll play this summer for the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs. "There's a lot of other leagues, but you'd have to go live somewhere over the summer."

Sitz expects 10 players from last year's league to get selected in the upcoming major league amateur draft. With a full waiting list of players, the league focus is exposure and fan turnout to further convince those still looking elsewhere.

"Once we establish ourselves where we're having 1,000 people at every game in a fun, festive environment, then kids would choose to stay here and play and not go up to the Cape [Cod League]," said Pat Leach, head coach of the Daytona Beach Barracudas.

Hence the no-charge-for-admission tactic.

"The purpose of the league is not to make money. If that [free admission] means more people will come out that's great," said Corey Whiting, an outfielder at Duke University who plays for Winter Park. "It's just supposed to be a good time and a place for people to play baseball and somewhere for people to bring their families."

That doesn't mean fans can't spend. Concessions, merchandise, raffles and a "pass the hat" donation campaign will help fund the league.

"Literally one of the players is going to walk around in the fifth inning and walk through the crowd with his hat," said Sitz.